Messi's 21 in a row: A look at Leo's world-record run in La Liga

Mallorca (a) - Round 11 - Won 4-2 (Messi 2)

Having failed to net in the previous round of matches in the 3-1 win over Celta Vigo and subsequently scored what was only a consolation four days before this one as Barca lost at Celtic in the Champions League group stages, Messi was on target twice on the island in a comprehensive victory and dedicated the two goals to new-born son Thiago.

The first was a speculative effort from the edge of the box which goalkeeper Dudu Aouate somehow let slip through his hands a minute before the interval. That put Barca 2-0 ahead and after Mallorca had mounted a comeback to close to within a single strike in the second period with the score at 3-2. Messi restored the two-goal advantage after 70 minutes with a clinical effort after he had been set up by Alexis Sanchez.

It was November 11th and the record-breaking run had started.

Friday, May 10, 2013 09:00

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Messi's 21 in a row: A look at Leo's world-record run in La Liga

It was already a world record. With his late strike against Deportivo La Coruna at the beginning of March, Lionel Messi bettered the long-standing mark of Pole Teodor Pewterek, who had netted for 16 straight games in 1937-38 for Ruch Chorzow.

Two more goals followed for Leo in the 3-1 win over Rayo Vallecano prior to the international break to make it 18 Primera Division games on the scoresheet for the four-time Ballon d'Or winner in successive rounds of the competition, and the 25-year-old then scored again at Celta Vigo to take the total to 19 - the equivalent of half an entire league season. He had also netted consecutively against every side in the table.

Injury curtailed that run as a period on the sidelines with a hamstring problem meant he was unable to feature in the following three league matches, but Messi returned to net a superb strike at Athletic Bilbao and added two more last weekend in the 4-2 win over Betis to extend his streak.